A Radio legend
Paul Gambaccini is currently presenting on BBC Radio 2 on Saturday evenings.
Paul has been named as Oxford University’s News International Visiting Professor of Broadcast Media. The Visiting Professorship is associated with the English Faculty and Green Templeton College.
Professor Gambaccini read History at Dartmouth College followed by Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University College, Oxford, and is looking forward to his new role at the University. He will hold the Chair for the academic year 2008-09 and will be giving lectures under the title of ‘Face the Strange’, looking at the history and future of music in the media.
After leaving Oxford, New York-born Paul Gambaccini was considering further study in law, but had the opportunity of writing for Rolling Stone magazine. He attributes his broadcasting career to this post - particularly an interview with Elton John, which brought him to the attention of BBC Radio 1.
Professor Gambaccini went on to present on Radio 1 for 18 years, presenting the US chart show for most of that time. In 1991 he became a founding presenter on Classic FM. At some point he has been a regular on each of the first four BBC radio networks and first four British terrestrial television networks.
He had runs presenting Radio 4’s Kaleidoscope during the 1970s and 1980s and has also presented a weekly chart show on Jazz FM. He has worked widely in British radio and television, mainly related to music, films, and the arts.
Paul has been a regular on each of the first four British terrestrial television networks. He was the longest serving performer on breakfast television, with his 13-year film review stint, first on TV-am and then GMTV. His television appearances include 'Call My Bluff', 'Music For The Millennium', and 'The South Bank Show'.
In addition to broadcasting, Paul has been co-author of 'The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles' and related titles with Tim and Jo Rice. The team also wrote with Tony Brown ' The Complete Eurovision Song Contest Companion '. His own books include 'Love Letters', 'Radio Boy', 'Top 100 Albums' and 'Track Records'. Paul also co-authored 'Television's Greatest Hits' with Rod Taylor, with whom he co-wrote and associate produced the BBC 1 television series of the same name.
In 1995, Paul was named Philanthropist of the Year by the National Charity Fundraisers, for his work on behalf of the Terrence Higgins Trust. He received the Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio Award from the Radio Academy in 1996 and picked up the Sony Award for Music Broadcaster of the Year in 2003. In 2005 Paul became a British citizen, while retaining his American citizenship, and was inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame.